Lawn mower attachment



p 1941- L. E. BANGERT 2,256,255

LAWN MOWER ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 27, 1959 Lawrence E33 ange d,

Sum/mu Patented Sept. 1 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATE NT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in lawn mower attachments.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a lawn mower with an attachment in the form of a rake or comb located in advance of the cutter blades and bar of the lawn mower and so mounted with respect to the mower that when the latter is in its normal grass cutting position, the lower ends of the tines of the rake or comb are just clear of the ground for ridding the lawn of such weeds as crab grass, also known as finger grass and Polish millet.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the foregoing character for lawn mowers wherein a rake or comb carried by the frame of the lawn mower forwardly of the cutter blades and bar is disposed perpendicularly to the ground with the tines of the rake or comb being straight throughout their length and resilient to compensate for ground obstructions without injury to the tines, the tines being operative to raise low lying weeds, such as crab grass, from the ground line and allowing them to fall into the path of the advancing cutter blades and bar of the lawn mower.

With the above and other object in view that will become apparent as the nature of the lnvention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head of a lawn mower equipped with a rake or comb forming the present invention; and

ground when the lawn mower is in its normal grass cutting position. While the tines may be of any width desired as well as the spacing thereof, it is preferable to have the tines of one quarter inch width and spaced apart approximately one quarter inch. The tines are straight throughout their length and are resilient and the entire rake or comb may be treated in any manner by any process to render the same rust proof.

To connect the rake or comb to the cross bar I of the lawn mower, the top strip 9 is provided with a series of spaced upstanding lugs Ii and a series of depending lugs ii in vertical alignment with the lugs ll, preferably four sets of lugs .being provided and extending respectively above and below the cross bar I with the top strip 9 engaged with the cross bar as shown in Figure 2. An anchor strap cooperates with each pair of lugs II and i2 and as shown in Figure 2, the anchor strap comprises an intermediate curved or arched portion 13 intimately contacting the cross bar 1 and carrying upwardly and downwardly extending end straps Ha and Ila respectively cooperat- Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken I on line 22 of Figure 1. r

The lawn mower as shown in Figure 1 is of the usual or standard construction embodying gear housings 5, each of which rotatably supports a ground wheel 6, the gear housings being connected by a bar I, generally of tubular formation and rearwardly of said bar 1 are the usual rotary cutter blades 8 that are associated with a cutter bar.

The cross bar 1 connecting the gear housing 5 provides a support for the attachment which comprises a rake or comb positioned forwardly of the cutter blades 8. The rake or comb comprises a top strip 9 from which a series of tines ill depend, the rake or comb being of a length, comparable with the length of the rotary cutter blades 8, while the height of the rake or comb when attached to the cross bar 1 presents the lower ends of the. tines It in proximity of the ing with the lugs Ii and I2. Headed screw bolts it pass through the lugs II and I2 and the end straps Ila and l2a for the reception of retaining nuts II.

In the operation of the lawn mower with the rake or comb attachment applied thereto, the lower ends of the tines I0 will elevate the seed terminals of weeds such as crab grass and the like to allow them to be caught by the rotary cutter blades and cutter bar of the lawn mower. When the lawn mower has a grass catcher attached thereto, the'seed terminals are thrown into the grass catcher and thereby prevent propagation by re-seeding. The comb or rake has a slight scarifying efiect on the lawn to promote grass growth. It has been found that when the lower ends of the tines are curved forwardly, such tines frequently prevent forward movement of the lawn mower when obstructions are encountered and sometimes result in breakage of the.

tines. When the tines are straight throughout their length and resilient to the desired degree, the lower ends of the tines swing rearwardly when an obstruction is encountered on a lawn and pass over such obstruction without injury to the tines, contact of the rotary cutter blades 8 with the rearwardly moved tines tending to restore them to their forward normal perpendicular positions with respect to the ground line.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to'be understood that minor changes spirit and serve or the invention as claimed may be made therein without departing irom the.

I claim:

1. In a'rake 'ior a lawn mower. wherein the lawn mower has a connecting bar between the gear housings thereoi and wherein rotary cutting blades and a cutter bar are positioned rearward- 1y oi the connecting bar, a rakev attached solely to the connecting bar. said rake including a top strip, clamping lugs iormed on the top strip at 5 spaced intervals and arranged in pairs with the 1 lugs oi each pair respectively projecting above j and below the top strip. flat resilient tines depending irom the top strip and terminating at their lower ends substantially at the ground line,"

said top strip adapted to be alined and engaged with the iorward side oi the connecting bar, and anchor straps engageable with the rear side oi the connecting bar and secured to the clamping 20 I assaass lugs to hold the rate on the connecting bar oi the lawn mower.

2. The combination with a lawn mower having traction wheels and a connecting bar extending between the traction wheels, oi a rate attached solely to the connecting bar to rake the ground in advance oi the lawn mower, said rake comprising a top strip, pairs. oi opposed lugs formed on the top strip at spaced intervals with the lugs oi each pair respectively extending-above 

